Whether you are looking for new or second-hand cars for sale, when it comes to student cars, affordability is always on the top of the list. Today we take a look at a whopping 15 affordable student cars available in South Africa. So if you or your kid is off to university, this post is definitely for you.
7 Student cars for under R150 000
With 7 different cars to choose from for under R150 000, you are sure to find a stunning car here. If you are looking for second-hand cars for sale, be sure to visit Auto Mart for some great deals.
Datsun Go
If you are looking for affordable cars, the Datsun Go for sale is well worth a closer look. The Datsun Go Lux has a starting price of R119 900 and features a driver airbag, manual central locking, a mobile docking station and a drive computer supply information like distance to empty and average fuel economy.
With a range of accessories to choose from, the Go is available in Gray, Silver, White, Ruby and Sky.
Suzuki Celerio
Image Source: Suzuki South Africa
If you are looking for student cars under R150 000, the Suzuki Celerio might be a stunning choice for you. Equipped with power steering and air conditioning, these cars have ABS, dual SRS Airbags, a high-level brake light and a starting price of only R129 900.
You can also consider moving one model up to the 1.5 GL 5MT model which has a starting price of R146 500, still keeping you under that R150 000 mark.
The Kia Picanto
Spunky little cars, the Kia Picanto for sale has a starting price of R129 995. Modern and flaunting a distinctive look, the 1.0 LS Man model is the one to go for. You can also move one up to the 1.2 LS Man model which has a starting price of R139 995.
With a driver airbag, the 1.0 LS Man Kia Picanto also offers some additional space for hauling bigger items to and from home with a 60:40 rear seat split, a 200-litre cargo capacity and, when the seats are down, a 605-litre cargo capacity. The Picanto is also available in a range of fun colours.
If you are looking for affordable student cars, why not create an alert on Auto Mart and get the latest deals in your price range straight to your inbox.
Chevrolet Spark
Always a popular car for students is the Chevrolet Spark. The Camps model has a starting price of R137 400. Radio ready, these small cars offer everything a student (and parent) could want – air conditioning, driver and passenger airbags, key operated central locking, power steering and ABS with EBD.
Some of the funky colours available include Vector Blue, Switchblade Silver, Maranello Red and Armour Grey.
Honda Brio
Making its third appearance on our list of student cars for under R150 000 is the Honda Brio. The 1.2 Trend Hatch model has a starting price of R148 600 and boasts manual air conditioning, electric windows, ABD and EBD, and central locking.
These affordable cars from Honda come in a variety of great colours and also feature a dual tone dashboard, power side mirrors and ample storage space.
Image Source: Honda South Africa
Suzuki Swift
Another great offering from Suzuki, the Swift 1.5 GA M/T comes in with a starting price of R149 900. This entry-level model has power steering, ABS, EBD, Dual SRS airbags and air conditioning.
A minimum boot capacity of 210 litres (which goes up to 533 litres when the back seats are down) and a range of fun colours are only some of the cool features that make it a great student car.
Mahindra KUV100
We know that this is an unlikely candidate when it comes to choosing student cars, but hear us out on this one. Providing a little extra height on the road, these small-big cars offer great safety features, tech and convenience.
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The entry-level k4+ Petrol KUV100 has a starting price of R149 995 and comes standard with air conditioning, electronic power steering, power windows, driver and passenger dual airbags and ABS with EBD, to name but a few features.
Specifications of Student cars priced at under R 150 000
| Model | Displacement | Power | Torque | Combined Fuel Consumptions | Starting Price |
| Datsun Go T (lux) | 1 198 cc | 50 kW @ 5 000 rpm | 104 Nm @ 4 000 rpm | 5.2 litres / 100 km | R 119 900 |
| Suzuki Celerio 1.5 GA 5MT | 998 cm³ | 50 kW @ 6 000 rpm | 90 Nm @ 3 500 rpm | 4.7 litre / 100 km | R 129 900 |
| Kia Picanto 1.0 LS Man | 998 cc | 51 kW @ 6 200 rpm | 94 Nm @ 4 000 rpm | Not provided | R 129 995 |
| Chevrolet Spark Campus | 1 206 cc | 60 kW @ 6 400 rpm | 108 Nm @ 4 800 rpm | 5.4 litres / 100 kilometres | R 137 400 |
| Honda Brio 1.2 Trend Hatch | 1 198 cm³ | 65 kW @ 4 500 rpm | 109 Nm @ 4 500 rpm | 5.6 litres / 100 km | R 148 600 |
| Suzuki Swift 1.5 GL 5MT | 1 197 cm³ | 63 kW @ 6 2 000 rpm | 115 Nm @ 4 000 rpm | 5.3 litres / 100 km | R 149 900 |
| K4+ Mahindra KUV100 | 1 198 cc | 61 kW @ 5 500 rpm | 115 Nm @ 3 500 – 3 600 rpm | 6.2 litres / 100 km | R 149 995 |
8 Student cars for under R 200 000
If you have a little more to spend, these 8 cars for under R200 000 also make for great student cars. If you find any of these models interesting be sure to check out Auto Mart for deals on second-hand cars.
Nissan Micra
The Nissan Micra is a great option if you are shopping around for affordable cars. The Visia+ model has driver and passenger airbags, central locking, a versatile audio system, ABS and EBD, and a Brake Assist (BA) system.
Image Source: Nissan South Africa
The Visia+ model has a starting price of R152 900, but you can also opt for the Tenka model which has a starting price of R196 600.
Hyundai i10
Another popular option when it comes to student cars is the small, compact and fun Hyundai i10. The 1.1 Motion Manual model has a starting price of R152 900 and features motor-driven power steering, a driver airbag, a manual air conditioner and an audio system that includes a CD and MP3 player as well as iPod, USB, RDS and Bluetooth.
Photo Source – www.hyundai.co.za
The Motion Manual has a maximum speed of 153 km/h and acceleration of 15.2 seconds from 0 – 100 km/h. You can also opt for the 1.1 Motion Automatic which comes in at R174 900.
Toyota Aygo
If you are looking for affordable cars that are fun and edgy, definitely consider the Toyota Aygo. The entry-level Aygo comes with front and side airbags, ABS, Brake Assist (BA), a leather shift lever and knob, a manual air conditioner and an audio system with four speakers, Bluetooth connectivity and USB and Aux input.
The Aygo has a maximum speed of 160 km/h and acceleration of 14.2 seconds from 0 – 100 km/h. The entry-level model has a starting price of R155 900 and the X-Ray Black model has a starting price of R158 600.
Top Tip: Read our “10 Most affordable cars in SA right now” post for a lowdown on some of the options available for under R160 000.
VW Up!
A fun option offered by Volkswagen, the VW Up has everything a student could want and more. The VW Take Up (starting at R156 600) features power steering, driver and passenger airbags, daytime running lights, electromechanical power steering and Electronic Stability Control with hill hold assist, EBD, ABS and EDTC.
If this model isn’t enough for you, you can also opt for the Move Up! (starting at R163 700), the Cross Up! (starting at R185 500), and either of the two Colour Up! Models (starting at R189 100).
VW Polo Vivo Hatch
Another offering from VW making our under R200 000 list of great student cars, the Polo Vivo for sale is definitely worth considering. The Vivo Hatch Conceptline has a starting price of R169 900 and features everything from air conditioning and ABS with EBD, to a 4 speaker infotainment system, driver and passenger airbags and power steering.
Other affordable cars for under R200 000 includes the Blueline (starting price of R176 400), the Trendline (starting price of R179 500), the Comfortline (starting price of R197 700) and the Polo Vivo Hatch Eclipse (starting price of R186 700).
Photo Source – www.vw.co.za
Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 is a fun little car and is packed with cool features. The entry-level Pop model offers everything from seven airbags and a radio with an Aux-in, to LED daytime running lights, audio controls on the steering wheel and electric front windows.
The Pop model has a starting price of R179 900 and also flaunts manual climate control, a 50/50 rear seat split and central locking. If you want, you can even move one up to the Pop Star model which still comes in under our R200 000 mark at R199 900.
Image Source: Fiat South Africa Website.
Ford Figo
With a starting price of R170 600, the Ford Figo is a stunning option when it comes to choosing student cars. Available in a range of vibrant colours, the 1.5 Ambiente Hatch has dual front driver and passenger airbags, ABS, remote central locking, manual air conditioning and a luggage capacity of 256 litres.
The 1.5 Ambiente Hatch has a top speed of 175 km/h and acceleration of 11.8 seconds from 0 – 100 km/h. Ford also offers two more Ford Figo models that stay under the R200 000 mark – the 1.5 Trend Hatch and the 1.5 Titanium Hatch.
Opel Corsa
If you are looking for affordable cars with ABS, Hill Start Assist and six airbags, opting for an Opel Corsa is a great option. The Essentia model has a starting price of R197 800 and features speed sensitive power steering, a city driving mode, daytime running lights, remote control central locking and air conditioning, to name but a few.
Specifications of student cars priced at under R 200 000
| Model | Displacement | Power | Torque | Combined Fuel Consumptions | Starting Price |
| Nissan Micra Visia+ | Nissan Micra Visia+ | 56 kW @ 6 000 rpm | 104 Nm @ 4 400 rpm | 5.2 litres / 100 km | R 152 900 |
| Hyundai i10 Motion Manual | 1 086 cc | 50 kW @ 5 500 rpm | 99 Nm @ 4 500 rpm | 4.8 litres / 100 km | R 152 900 |
| Toyota Aygo | 988 cm³ | 51 kW @ 6 000 rpm | 95 Nm @ 4 300 rpm | 4.4 litres / 100 km | R 155 900 |
| VW Take Up | 999 cm³ | 55 kW @ 6 200 rpm | 95 Nm @ 3 000 – 4 300 rpm | 4.6 litres / 100 km | R 156 600 |
| Polo Vivo Hatch Conceptline | 1 398 cm³ | 55 Kw @ 5 000 rpm | 132 Nm @ 3 600 rpm | 6.2 litres / 100 km | R 169 900 |
| Fiat 500 Pop | 875 cm³ | 62.5 kW @ 5 500 rpm | 145 Nm @ 1 900 rpm | 3.8 litres / 100 km | R 179 000 |
| Ford Figo 1.5 Ambiente Hatch | 1 498 cc | 82 kW @ 6 300 rpm | 136 Nm @ 4 250 rpm | 5.9 litres / 100 km | R 170 600 |
| Opel Corsa Essentia 1.0T | Not provided | 85 kW @ 5 000 – 6000 rpm | 170 Nm @ 1 800 – 4 500 rpm | 5 litres / 100 km | R 197 800 |
Top Tip: Be sure to read our “Beat the Petrol Price with 6 Fuel Efficient Cars” post to learn more about the fuel-efficient cars under R200 000.
Looking for great deals on second-hand cars for sale? Browse through the awesome classifieds on Auto Mart and find the perfect student cars today!
In terms of affordable this entire article is flawed all that you took into account was cost of car. what was not taken into account are all of the following. Cost of service once car is out of its basic motor plan if it came with one or replacement parts in terms of mechanical out of warranty. Further its cost in terms of Insurance and what is the parts basket to repair the vehicle and does it take it close to wright off marks on a simple bumper bashing. Lastly you haven’t look at the theft stats relating to each car listed and what that means to a student.
Hi Jason,
Thank you so much for your comment. You have made some very great points here and those points should definitely be taken into consideration when choosing any car – not just a student car.
That being said, it is extremely difficult to take those into account as prices do fluctuate.
The information that we are able to give our readers do concern purchase price as this is information that we can verify.
In this post we specifically aimed for cars priced under R150 000 and then under R 200 000.
It serves as a starting point to those looking for affordable cars. Whether it is something priced under 150K or under 200K.